Kaneohe is a beautiful residential town located on the Windward side of Oahu and situated 12 miles northeast of Honolulu. This area was once the home of Hawaii’s kings and is rich in history. The Windward side of Oahu gets more rainfall than the dryer Leeward side and this explains why you’ll find more lush, tropical foliage here. You will definitely want to make a stop in Kaneohe when visiting Oahu. Here are some of my favorite things to see and do Kaneohe!
Kualoa Ranch
Visit the 4,000-acre private nature reserve and cattle ranch for an experience you won’t forget! Kualoa Ranch has been a family owned ranch for seven generations. Today it is protected by the Morgan Family who are decendants of Dr. Gerrit P. Judd. Dr. Judd was a missionary who was a personal advisor to King Kamehameha. The beauty of this historic and culturally significant land has been preserved and protected from development and allows everyone to experience its rich history, beauty, and the Hawaiian culture.
Hollywood has also discovered the beauty here and has filmed several movies and tv shows on this location. Some films include Jurrasic Park, 50 First Dates, Pearl Harbor, Windtalkers, and Godzilla. Hawaii Five-O, Gilligan’s Island, and the Lost TV series have also been shot here.
Visitors to the ranch can take in the spectacular scenery while enjoying horseback or ATV tours, zip lining, or taking a behind the scenes tour of film locations! If you have children you will want to take them to the free petting zoo to see turtles, horses, pigs, and even goats in the trees! Yes, goats climb trees!
Camera Shy Goat at the Petting Zoo
Kaneohe Bay
Kaneohe Bay stretches up from the Kaneohe Marine Corps Base to the Mooli’i island, also known as Chinaman’s Hat. The majestic Koolua Mountain Range make an incredible backdrop against the clear, turquoise and blue water of the bay. Bring a waterproof camera because you will want to take photos of the incredible scenery found here.
Sandbar photo courtesy of Kinga Mills
A popular destination is also the Sandbar which is located a mile from the shore. Take a kayak over to the sandbar for the day to snorkel, swim, and soak up beautiful scenery of Kaneohe Bay. If you’re a military ID card holder, you can rent a pontoon boat from the Marine Corps Base to take you there.
Macadamia Nut Farm
Take a tour of the Macadamia Nut Farm with Ali’i Tours. The one and a half hour tour takes you for a ride through the beautiful gardens. You’ll board an old jungle bus with a tour guide that provides a perfect balance of information and humor. The tour guide has you laughing at every turn and entertains you with a show. When you return back from the tour you can sample macadamia nuts prepared with many types of seasonings, sample Kona coffee, and purchase island made gifts. Guests are also welcome to grab macadamia nuts from a large bin outside and crack them open.
Byodo-In Temple
Situated in the Valley of the Temples Memorial Park, you will find a temple which is a replica of the Byodo-In Temple found in Uji, Japan. It was built in the 1960s to commemorate the first Japanese immigrant workers who arrived in Hawaii 100 years ago. This temple welcomes people of all faiths to meditate and worship here. You may also just want to simply walk through the beautiful and serene grounds and view the Japanese koi ponds, temple, peacocks, and breathtaking scenery.
Golf
Klipper Military Golf Course
Do you love to golf? Kaneohe golf courses will offer you beautiful, unique and challenging golf experiences! The Ko’olau Golf Club situated within a rain forest was rated as one of the “Top 100 Places You Can Play,” in Golf Magazine. The Pali Golf Course is a public challenging course located in the beautiful foothills of the Koolau mountain ranges. If you’re in the military you can play at The Klipper Golf course located on the Kaneohe Marine Corps Base. It’s been consistently rated as one of the top military courses in the world!
Real Estate
Kaneohe has a wide variety of residential properties to purchase such as seaside cottages, townhomes, condominiums, apartment buildings and large estates. Some properties have amazing views of the beautiful bay as well as the majestic mountains! If you’re interested in making Kaneohe your home, contact me. I’d love to show you this beautiful area and help you find a home here!
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